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Do you guys have any beginner (V3 level) training beta

Original Post
Seth Bleazard · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Jun 2018 · Points: 395

I am a beginner who can climb V3 in the gym. Do you guys have training routines that might help. 

Abram Herman · · Grand Junction, CO · Joined May 2009 · Points: 20

Climb more.

Seriously, though. V3 is not a level where you need to be doing any training more specific than just climbing. Climb things that are hard for you, climb things that you feel are your weakness, climb things you don't want to climb.

Seth Bleazard · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Jun 2018 · Points: 395

Ok thanks. 

Mike Slavens · · Houston, TX · Joined Jan 2009 · Points: 35
Abram Herman wrote: Climb more.

Seriously, though. V3 is not a level where you need to be doing any training more specific than just climbing. Climb things that are hard for you, climb things that you feel are your weakness, climb things you don't want to climb.

Agreed strength is likely not the limiting factor, but practicing bad technique is just going to make it all the more difficult to make improvements.

Look for training books that have large sections on technique and utilize those as a forum post is not going to this topic justice.  IMO V3/V4 is where you really need to start paying attention to your hips and your center of gravity.  Pick out a couple basic climbing moves like back stepping or crossing through a hold and practice it (both sides/directions of your body) on a systems board with a ton of different holds (good, mediocre, bad, various directions of pull, etc.) and focus on how much better/worse a position feels by shifting your hips, turning your hips, or re-positioning your feet to adjust your hips.  Watch A LOT of other people climb hard routes.  Focus on how they shift and turn their hips.  Then when you get on a hard climb for you, force yourself not to just throw for the next good hold, force yourself to find a body position that makes the movement is easier.  Keep doing this on the same route for every move, see if there is an easier way/position to make each individual move by better positioning your body.

You can always improve footwork.  Focus on placing your big toe on the best part of the hold.  

You'd eventually get there by just climbing more but if you put that specific focus on it you'll likely see improvements much faster.
Seth Bleazard · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Jun 2018 · Points: 395

Books like the rock climbers training manual?

Jon Frisby · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Feb 2013 · Points: 270

Read self coached climber by Hunter and Hague, climb 3x a week and sometimes focus on what you read in SCC, stretch your hips and shoulders.

nathanael · · Riverside, CA · Joined May 2011 · Points: 525

Try real climbing soon

T C · · Bozeman, MT · Joined Feb 2017 · Points: 1,066

CORE!!!!!

Nick Drake · · Kent, WA · Joined Jan 2015 · Points: 651
Jon Frisby wrote: Read self coached climber by Hunter and Hague, climb 3x a week and sometimes focus on what you read in SCC, stretch your hips and shoulders.

This. 

Neil Gresham's masterclass series has good visuals on fundamental body positions to climb steep ground:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLBCRwO0FN0zMTqSfFW9SMbK2tncTrI25r

Climb slab w/o hands, palms against the wall thumbs up only. This will force you to commit to feet properly and shift your hips w/o excessive use of your hands.

Footwork drills beyond the usual recommendation of quiet feet, set out wine corks on larger holds. Make it your goal to set inside edge and pivot to outside edge wo popping or knocking the cork off. Use specs of chalk on footholds to progress the quiet feet into "accurate feet", place the very tip of your shoe on the spec of chalk on the foothold.
tanner jones · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Jan 2012 · Points: 1,078

As you get stronger, you will undoubtedly begin to experience muscle imbalances which will cause issues. It happens to everyone. I would highly recommend taking on a routine of climbing "prehab" exercises.

Things like push ups (with good form, ie elbows not flared out and neck in neutral alignment), dead lifts (again, good form), dips, hamstring and glute exercises will go a long way to preventing injury and supporting your body as you developing climbing specific muscles.

Also, rest and recovery are not to be ignored. Climb a day, take a day of rest. Eat plenty of protein. Get lots of sleep.

But above all climb a lot and have fun. If you're not having type 1 or type 2 fun you will burn out and quit and then what's the point?

Tom Sherman · · Austin, TX · Joined Feb 2013 · Points: 433

I wouldn’t say V3 is beginner, but grades vary. At V3 hangboarding helped me. Too bad I’m not more diligent 

Seth Bleazard · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Jun 2018 · Points: 395

I am currently doing hangboarding upper body strength and core strength exercises 

Fitz Fitzgerald · · Rogers, KY · Joined Dec 2010 · Points: 20
Seth Bleazard wrote: I am currently doing hangboarding upper body strength and core strength exercises 

Just make sure you stay away from the campus board or any similar high strain workout until you have climbed consistently for quite a while.  The reason for this is that your muscles will strengthen much more rapidly than your tendons and therefore, take it slowly, you don't want to injure those.  Also, as previously stated, diet, rest and hydration are all just as important.

Jake Laba · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Dec 2012 · Points: 0

Climb more and climb smart. Remember not everyday has to be a PR. It helped me a lot to climb the same route over and over till I felt I had it as clean as possible. Climb a lot below your level and work your footwork and body positioning.

Guideline #1: Don't be a jerk.

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